The Academy’s Weapon Replicator

Lily, raising the tension yet wearing a bold smile, looked at Frondier.

“You’ll kill me?”

“If necessary, yes.”

An arrogant statement, as if Frondier held the power of life and death over Lily. However, Frondier's emotionless eyes spoke that it was no bluff.

This wasn't because Frondier was overwhelmingly stronger than Lily. Lily was a Zodiac, and Frondier needed certain conditions to exert his full strength.

However, if Frondier decided to kill Lily, he would do whatever it took to make it happen. His eyes said as much.

‘...No.’

Lily felt a chilling fear loom before her, but even so...

She had a certain conviction that Frondier wouldn't harm her.

While Frondier was unhesitant with enemies, he became quite cautious if he wasn't sure whether the opponent was an enemy or not.

Frondier knew the importance of comrades. Moreover, Lily had fully sided with the Empire, believing Frondier's words about Manggot's arrival. Of course, with the condition that Frondier would become her knight.

“Why did you entrust me with Ameline’s escort? Do you want to protect Ameline? Or do you want to eliminate her? Why did you make me choose?”

Frondier asked Lily as he slowly approached.

As expected, Frondier gave no leeway. He seemed languid, but there were no openings. Approaching her was a means to pressure her, both physically and mentally.

He had likely already figured out that Lily was racking her brain right now.

“Or...”

Frondier continued, leisurely, as if telling her to think hard.

“Were you simply curious about what choice I would make, and Ameline’s life didn't matter?”

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The moment Frondier asked this question, his obsidian spread out in all directions, scattering killing intent and targeting Lily.

Not in the form of a weapon, but as sharp thorns with pointed tips. It wasn't any kind of armor, so it didn't have any special characteristics, but it was a combination of Frondier’s aura and anticipation. It wasn't an attack to be ignored.

‘...With this question, he intends to decide.’

Whether Ria Lis was Frondier's enemy or not.

In other words, how Lily viewed Ameline's life was an important matter to Frondier.

Ameline, unknowingly holding the secrets of the Shadow Unit. That alone was dangerous, so the Shadow Unit had thought of killing Ameline.

Lily, who noticed this, sent Frondier as Ameline's escort.

At this point, the Shadow Unit couldn't help but suspect not only Ameline but also Lily.

Out of all the missions, why entrust Frondier with the task of escorting Ameline? It was too much to be a coincidence.

In other words, Lily seemed to be trying to protect Ameline. At least regarding the Shadow Unit's secrets, they were on the same side.

This fact was the reason why Frondier's blade had not yet reached Lily.

Lily slowly opened her mouth to speak.

“...No, it was the opposite for me.”

“The opposite?”

“I thought you would abandon the Empire.”

At that, Frondier's eyes twitched slightly.

“...Become hostile to the Empire to save Ameline. You thought I would make that choice?”

“Right now, you’re actually prepared to antagonize a Zodiac over the issue of how to treat her life, aren’t you?”

Lily judged that she shouldn't get fully involved in this matter. It didn't make sense for a Zodiac, who existed as a weapon of the Empire, to be hostile towards the Empire's Shadow Unit.

However, Frondier was different. He was currently receiving considerable attention from the Empire, and although his power was unknown, he still held no position, let alone that of a Zodiac.

If she entrusted him with Ameline's escort, Frondier would surely fulfill that duty. If things went well, it could be passed off as a fluke, albeit a forced one, that Frondier happened to be the escort when the Shadow Unit tried to kill Ameline.

Above all, since it was Frondier who interfered, while the attention was focused on him, Lily could also be free from the Shadow Unit's surveillance for a while.

But there was a problem.

‘Frondier figured it out too quickly.’

Frondier felt a sense of dissonance as soon as he encountered the bandits, and through his conversation with Ameline, he understood the situation he was in.

“...I wished you didn't know anything.”

Lily spoke with a sincere voice. Whether it truly contained sincerity or not was secondary.

Frondier didn't want to abandon Ameline nor become an enemy of the Empire, so he made it all 'never happened'.

Even Lily couldn't do that. To remove all traces of the Shadow Unit's attacks without leaving a single scratch on the carriage and without showing Ameline anything.

She didn't know such a thing was possible, which was why they were in this situation.

Lily relaxed her guard. She lowered her body, full of openings, in front of the hostile Frondier.

At first glance, it was an extremely dangerous act, but it was the most 'amicable' way to resolve the situation.

“If you hadn't dug so deep, you would have just completed your escort mission and been unrelated to this incident.”

Lily spoke earnestly to Frondier with a pleading expression and voice.

At the same time, she deployed her power, 'Charm'.

As Frondier expected, Lily was indeed a devil.

Not one of the Seven Deadly Sins, but she could use power close to theirs. The power of a devil, undetectable by mana or aura.

“I wanted to protect you, Frondier. That's why I didn't tell you.”

A completely defenseless posture, a pleading look in her innocent appearance, and the devil's power emanating simultaneously.

Like invisible fog, her power filled the room, surrounding Frondier.

“But you're much stronger than I thought. I didn't know.”

“...Lily.”

Frondier's voice changed, as if Lily's power was taking effect. He looked at Lily with a somewhat sad, yet pitiful expression.

Encouraged, Lily took a small step forward.

“If I had known you had such ability, I would have explained this situation to you sooner...”

Swish!

Kwaaak!

Something grazed Lily's face.

A blade with a terrifying speed, cutting through the air, embedded itself in the wall.

Drip, Lily froze for a moment at the sensation of blood flowing down her cheek.

To persuade Frondier, or rather, to make him her ally, she had truly been 'completely defenseless'.

If the aim had been even slightly off, the blade would have pierced Lily's head.

“...Frondier...?”

Lily couldn't comprehend the situation.

If her ability had been blocked beforehand, she would have understood. Or if Frondier had been on guard. Or if he had cast a protective spell or something to resist her power.

But without any of that, Frondier had just taken a direct hit from Lily's charm.

For Lily, it was impossible for this result to occur in that situation.

“Is that your answer...?”